1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system comprising a printer comprising a plurality of functional modules and a controller for controlling the print process, and a storage device for storing information regarding supporting an operator to interact with a functional module of the plurality of functional modules other than the local user interface of the printer.
In a print production environment, the production of a print job can be managed at the printing system comprising a software system that handles the image data to be printed according to specifications of the print job, schedules the actions to be performed by operators and provides status feedback on the production progress to the production manager and—for example through the Internet—to the end customers. The software system may be installed at the printer or on a computer system connected to the printer. The printer comprises a plurality of functional modules. One of the functional modules is the local user interface attached to the printer. The operator can operate on the local user interface by means of entering commands, applying gestures, clicking a mouse, etc. The storage device may be a local storage device, but may also be an internal or external server connected via a network, for example a knowledge base or a support website.
The present invention further relates to a method for presenting support information supporting the operator to interact with a functional module of the printer in the system according the present invention.
The present invention further relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable program code configured to instruct a computer to perform the method according to the present invention.
2. Description of Background Art
Usually, the local user interface of the printer is on a fixed position at the printer. This is disadvantageous, since an operator may be at a side of the printer at which he cannot operate at or even see on the screen of the local user interface. Especially, when the footprint of the printer is large, this is a problem. When the distance between a functional module other than the local user interface and the local user interface is large, the interaction of the operator with the functional module, which has a problem, and the interaction of the operator with the local user interface, cannot be combined, i.e. for each support step the operator has to move from the functional module, which has a problem, to the local user interface, and vice versa. The problem of the functional module may be due to an event hampering normal operation of a functional unit, but not requiring immediate attention. The problem of the functional module may also be due to an event impeding operation of the functional unit.
In another environment, the operator may have a mobile device comprising operator manuals for the specific printer. If there is a problem with one of the functional modules other than the local user interface, the support information needed by the operator is normally not among the start window information on the screen of the local user interface or on the first page of the operator manual for the printer on the operator's mobile device. The operator has to navigate to the appropriate support information for the functional module, which has the problem.